January 2, 2009 Stafford MVP in Georgia's bowl win Play video

(NECN/ESPN) - It was a rough first half for Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford, completing just 6-of-14 pass attempts and tossing an interception.

The second half was a different story. Stafford went 14-of-17 and connected on three touchdown passes, leading the Bulldogs to a 24-12 win over Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl.

A junior, Stafford is said to be coveted by NFL teams as the next big quarterback to come from the college ranks.

Stafford emerged as the shining star in this game, despite the pre-game hype built up around the matchup of All-American running backs Knowshon Moreno and Javon Ringer. The two combined for just 109 yards on the ground. Moreno did catch a 21-yard TD pass from Stafford late in the fourth quarter.

Video courtesy of ESPN